Description
Succulent meatballs bathed in a tangy lemon sauce, inspired by Mediterranean cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (90% lean) or ground lamb
- ½ cup (60g) plain or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (15g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1½ cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Finely chop onion and parsley, mince garlic, zest and juice lemon.
- Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, onion, half the lemon zest, dried oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently but thoroughly with clean hands.
- Shape mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs (about 1½ inches in diameter), wetting hands with water to prevent sticking. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
- Heat olive oil in a 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken broth, remaining lemon zest, and lemon juice to skillet. Scrape browned bits from pan and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Return meatballs to skillet, spoon sauce over them, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce thickens slightly.
- Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with extra parsley and serve hot with preferred sides.
Notes
For extra moist meatballs, soak breadcrumbs in chicken broth before mixing. Let meatballs rest for 10 minutes before cooking to avoid falling apart.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg